Karen is the best. I had the fortunate pleasure of sitting with her at a repeater's dinner two years ago. She was a real part of what makes CN special. We wish her all the best at CSA. She will be missed but we look forward to meeting Ricardo in 73 days!

Hey, Randymon?
Why is it that many posts on this MB are so negative toward the new General Manager at CN? I realize many are accustomed to Karen being there and being the driving force behind things. I also realize that the new GM at CN is from within the company, as well. It is clear, however, that many, many repeaters have had some negative interactions with the new GM at CN, and aren't afraid to voice this. Are the 'parts' (Karen and Ricardo) so interchangeable that service differences will not be an issue? If CSA needed new management it sounds as if Karen is the right, reliable person. How does that bode for CN, though, in terms of maintaining the level of customer service? Why have some long-time repeaters threatened to go elsewhere (not Couples), relative to this issue? I understand you can't necessarily answer these questions, but it gives us (as repeaters to CN this June), pause, and cause to wonder why all the negativity. Yes, it's clear many folks like Karen. The oppostie seems to be true for Ricardo. Is this really a business decision, as in promotions all around, or something more urgent than that? Please know that it's understood that none of us customers make business decisions for Couples Resorts, and that we don't dictate things at all. BUT, if there is this much negativity over this change, for my money, I'd like to know how to respond to it.

Hey, Randymon?
Why is it that many posts on this MB are so negative toward the new General Manager at CN? ...

tonys - I'm not sure if Randy will answer, but I wouldn't worry over it too much.
Though it does seem more people are posting positively on here about Karen than Ricardo, there are many, many fiercely loyal CSA people on here so he couldn't have been horrible.

Karen was at CN when she first joined Couples, then went to CSA, then back to CN as GM, and now back to CSA as GM; so somewhat similar moves have been made before.
Friends of ours, (longtime repeat guests of CN) just returned from CN and said that, while they missed seeing Karen, everything else was just the same. Said it was the "best trip ever" in fact.
Have a great trip.

Perhaps the "negative" responses are simply because some people don't welcome change - especially when they think something is perfect. We have been to both CN & CSA and found both to be well managed. I think Karen was more visible to the guests at CN than Ricardo was at CSA but that could be entirely due to the size and layout of the properties.

I highly doubt that Couples management would risk putting somebody in charge of any of their resorts that they did not have confidence in. Doing the same thing at the same place for many years causes people to become stale so I think Couples has hit on a great solution to keep their management engaged and allowing them to bring fresh perspectives to each of these resorts. We are really looking forward to returning to CN in October.

Hey, Randymon?
Why is it that many posts on this MB are so negative toward the new General Manager at CN? I realize many are accustomed to Karen being there and being the driving force behind things. I also realize that the new GM at CN is from within the company, as well. It is clear, however, that many, many repeaters have had some negative interactions with the new GM at CN, and aren't afraid to voice this. Are the 'parts' (Karen and Ricardo) so interchangeable that service differences will not be an issue? If CSA needed new management it sounds as if Karen is the right, reliable person. How does that bode for CN, though, in terms of maintaining the level of customer service? Why have some long-time repeaters threatened to go elsewhere (not Couples), relative to this issue? I understand you can't necessarily answer these questions, but it gives us (as repeaters to CN this June), pause, and cause to wonder why all the negativity. Yes, it's clear many folks like Karen. The oppostie seems to be true for Ricardo. Is this really a business decision, as in promotions all around, or something more urgent than that? Please know that it's understood that none of us customers make business decisions for Couples Resorts, and that we don't dictate things at all. BUT, if there is this much negativity over this change, for my money, I'd like to know how to respond to it.

Thanks for any reply.
53 and a wake up to Jamaica...
TonyS & SharonS

Tracey and I just returned from a week at CSA and a week at CN. This was our 3rd time to CSA and our 6th to CN. Just by the design and layout of CN the gm has always been more visible to the guests. We had the great pleasure of meeting Ricardo for the first time at CN this trip. Ricardo was around all day and evening mingling with the guests making sure everything was ok and making sure all were happy. We were able to converse everyday of our week at CN and have received an email from Ricardo personally after our return home.
We did see Karen at CSA but with it being so spread out it was a rare sighting or a pass by hello on the pathway as she rushed by....... not because she wasn't being friendly but because she had a lot of area to cover.
We are really looking forward to returning back to CN next April and spending more time chatting with our new friend Ricardo.. go up and introduce yourself he is a very nice guy and very open to sit and chat.
Even on his off time

On our first visit to CN in 2010, I never met Karen and wouldn't have known her if she would have walked by. Last year I had the pleasure of sitting next to her at the Repeater's Dinner and thoroughly enjoyed her company and could understand why the service at CN is so wonderful. I guess my point is as long as the service excellence continues, I don't care who the GM is or if they are visible to me.
But Ricardo, if you are reading this, I would love to sit down with you next week and discuss any employment opportunities so I don't have to go back home!

... But Ricardo, if you are reading this, I would love to sit down with you next week and discuss any employment opportunities ...

LOL. I had a live conversation version of this with Karen once. In the Piano Bar prior, while discussing some vacancy, (for the position of ET lead after Tanya W. moved up perhaps???), Karen mentioned she was conducting interviews the next day. She pointed at her office and I was told to appear promptly at 7AM. And dress appropriately! We both knew neither would occur, but it made for a pleasant dream... How could I be ET lead at CN!!!

Back to the original gist of this thread... When Karen came back from CSA to take over as GM from Gary Stephens, we didn't really notice any difference (~mid 2003). The peacock disappeared around this time, but if memory serves, that was more of a Mr. Thomlinson/Mr. Salmon decision IIRC. In any case we don't expect any disappointing changes.

Missed opportunity, Rudi! You would have been great.
I thought about applying for the dive mgr. opening when Brian left, Patti was not amused. By the way, while at CSS last week, we saw Brian at breakfast and he ended up going on the moring dive with us. He is now dive mgr at CSA. We may do Trading Places in Sept and visit Karen and Brian, you two could join us!

Originally Posted by rudi

LOL. I had a live conversation version of this with Karen once. In the Piano Bar prior, while discussing some vacancy, (for the position of ET lead after Tanya W. moved up perhaps???), Karen mentioned she was conducting interviews the next day. She pointed at her office and I was told to appear promptly at 7AM. And dress appropriately! We both knew neither would occur, but it made for a pleasant dream... How could I be ET lead at CN!!!

Back to the original gist of this thread... When Karen came back from CSA to take over as GM from Gary Stephens, we didn't really notice any difference (~mid 2003). The peacock disappeared around this time, but if memory serves, that was more of a Mr. Thomlinson/Mr. Salmon decision IIRC. In any case we don't expect any disappointing changes.

G&P,
We heard that Brian was now at CSA, but CSS is pretty far away! Wonder why he was there?

Originally Posted by oxbgirl

Rudi, You cannot be the ET leader since that's a position I've been training for! Maybe we can have a contest to see who gets the position. :-)

Oxb, - good luck and I withdraw (n.b. if you replaced Nellie we might be slightly upset).
Seems one has to have the ability to sing and dance, so I'm out.
At least Tanya and Nellie did. Don't recall seeing Alison nor Simone doing either but it is probably a job req.

G&P,
We heard that Brian was now at CSA, but CSS is pretty far away! Wonder why he was there?

Oxb, - good luck and I withdraw (n.b. if you replaced Nellie we might be slightly upset).
Seems one has to have the ability to sing and dance, so I'm out.
At least Tanya and Nellie did. Don't recall seeing Alison nor Simone doing either but it is probably a job req.

I know many of you have been going to couples longer than we have, but it seems we have seen a lot of upset guests at CSA. Now who decided to come up with the braining idea to move a GM that has proven they cannot perform the way guests want, and move them to a #1 resort. This must be a #1 resort, it is the highest priced Couples Resort now. We have been going to CN for 7 yrs now, we have seen a lot of changes, some good, some not so good. We have also been watching the changes being made to other resorts, some good, some NOT SO GOOD. Prices have dropped, specials are being offered to these resorts to try to attract more guests. My motto - if it isn't broken don't fix it, CN is not broken YET. If CSA GM isn't doing what needs to be done, I agree, replace him, but DON'T move him to another resort to mess things up there too. Just my opinion